Once a snake, always a snake?
by onceuponaquidditchpitch
Summary: After war, Voldemort defeated. 7th year Head boy/girl Draco and Hermione. Pre-established Dramione relationship. Draco cheated. Hermione leaves. 1st fic so pleaseeee review/comment!


She watched as he paced frantically back and forth around the common room.

"Draco," she called, worry etched all over her beautiful face, "what exactly is wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just go back to your book, Hermione. I didn't mean to disturb you." He replied, not bothering to even meet her eyes for fear of confessing everything right on the spot.

To this day had trouble keeping secrets from her once their eyes met, her gorgeous brown eyes that could strike his soul without even knowing it and make him want to reveal every part of himself to her. If it weren't for the fact that he had been trained to hide all emotion since birth practically, Draco never would have made it out of the war alive, especially when harboring secret, forbidden feelings for a Mudblood. And not just any Mudblood but Harry Potter's best friend, none-the-less. God, even thinking the "M" word still made his insides cringe. He couldn't believe how many times he had called her that. He would never forgive himself.

"Oh... okay," Hermione sighed.

However, she never did take her eyes off the man whom had so swiftly stolen her heart. Tall, blonde, and brilliant, the Slytherin Prince and renowned sex-god ironically enough was a perfect match for the bushy-haired, know-it-all Gryffindor Princess. And while they may not have been together very long she had been diligent in learning how to read not only his moods but also his body language, determined to find out what lie hidden deep within the cold front which he so naturally kept up at almost all times. And right now, observing his uncommonly rigid stance and jerky movements, she knew that something was very, very wrong.

Lately Draco had been increasingly distant with her, leaving Hermione wondering if maybe all of the talk about "Hogwarts' most shocking couple in centuries" had finally gotten to him. After all, once they revealed their relationship in front of the entire school at breakfast one morning in the Great Hall, nearly a month ago now, they had been all anyone could talk about, and frankly, even Hermione had to admit it was draining knowing that everyone was constantly judging them. Why couldn't they just understand that Draco and her had gotten past their differences since the end of the war?

"Look Draco," Hermione started, summoning up her Gryffindor courage and deciding to just confront him, "I know people are still talking about us and they need to just mind their own business but-"

"It's not that," Draco interrupted.

He now stood facing the fireplace, back stiff and facing away from Hermione knowing this was the perfect opportunity to come clean and beg for forgiveness.

Perplexed, Hermione closed her book and stood, gracefully walking across the room to stand inches from Draco's back.

"Draco," she whispered, pleading evident in her voice.

If only she knew what effect her voice had on him, especially when is was saying his name like _that_.

"You promised you would try to stop shutting me out and you're really starting to worry me. What's going on?" Hermione insisted; daring to reach out and turn him so he was facing her.

Draco allowed himself to be shifted but closed his eyes as if to prolong the inevitable. He took a deep breath and sighed, heart hammering away the whole time. Knowing that once he came clean everything he had worked for, all the time he spent trying to gain Hermione's trust and convince her that his feelings were indeed sincere, would all be destroyed. He briefly debated not telling her, but reconsidered when he thought about how much hearing the truth from random people in the halls would hurt her so much worse.

No. He had to do it now. He would just say it fast and hope that maybe her initial shock would give him enough time to grovel for forgiveness.

"I slept with Astoria," he all but blurted out while simultaneously opening his eyes to gauge her reaction.

Hermione's whole body immediately flinched as she swiftly took a step back. Did she really just hear him right? Her heart started racing as she willed her eyes to not shed any tears which were beginning to build up as her mind ran a million miles a minute. Hadn't he spent the entire beginning of the year trying to show her he could be civil and even polite given their positions as Head boy and girl? Hadn't he spent weeks after they agreed to be friends defending her in front of his friends? He said he was over his blood prejudices, that he never really believed in them, that he wanted to be with her! Was it all a lie? She clenched her jaw and balled her hands into fists at her sides.

"No" she said, voice laced with pain and dangerously low, eyes ablaze with a growing rage.

The expression on her face just about broke his heart.

"Hermione please let me explain!" He nearly shouted, taking a step toward her. "It was a mistake, I swear! You know I would never try and hurt you! It was just once after the quidditch match two days ago! I was drunk! Once I realized what happened I-"

"-You what, Draco?" Hermione demanded. "This happened two days ago and you waited all this time! Were you even going to tell me? I knew something happened at the party but I never…" her voice trailed off, losing much of its intensity.

"I knew something was off but I thought it was me just over analyzing everything like always…" she said as she turned her head and glanced at the floor.

Draco couldn't stand to see her in so much pain. The fact that he caused it was killing him inside.

"Hermione I swear, it didn't mean anything" he said solemnly. "I know I don't deserve it but please, please believe me. I'll do anything to make you trust me again. I know I've been a foul git to be around lately and I know I hurt you and you should hate me but please, Hermione. I know this isn't a great time and its not how I had it planned but I love you and-"

Before he could even finish his sentence Hermione reached out and slapped him, hard, right across the face.

"Don't you DARE tell me you love me Draco Malfoy!" she practically shrieked. "How could you even expect me to believe you after you CHEATED on me by fucking that, that WHORE!" she stammered out.

Tears were falling freely down her face now and her cheeks were flushed with the intense emotions stirring around in her chest. "So this is what it feels like to have your heart broken," she thought to herself.

"Hermione, please!" Draco pleaded.

He reached down and grabbed her hands in his in an attempt to calm her down a little and prevent her from slapping him again. It wasn't a full on punch in the face like what happened in third year but Draco couldn't deny Hermione certainly had an arm on her.

Hermione had never seen so much emotion in his piercing blue eyes. While they normally bordered between a beautiful gray and light blue she had begun to notice when he spoke with unguarded emotion Draco's eyes became an incredible dark blue. She turned around and started walking to the portrait hole, she needed to get out of the room which was beginning to suffocate her and away from those eyes which could still make her melt. Right as she approached the door she paused and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

In the time it had taken her to reach the portrait hole Hermione knew that while she could forgive him for a majority of things, this was something that would take awhile for her to get past, if she was able to at all.

"We're done, Draco," Hermione whispered, "maybe someday I'll be able to forgive you but..." her voice cracked causing her to trail off. "I just need time to myself… to process things. Of course I'll continue to do my share of the Head's duties and maintain an air of professionalism, I just… can't be around you right now."

And with that, Draco watched her leave, taking his heart with her. Knowing that anything he could have said to try and make her stay wouldn't have made any difference. Knowing that he probably should go after her still, yet maintaining enough Malfoy arrogance to not chance after anyone, especially when that anyone had just broke up with him.


End file.
